Click button below and scroll through additional information and maps on the Friends of the Headwaters (FOH) website. HCCOLA fully supports the Friends of the Headwaters (FOH) in its efforts to relocate the Sandpiper/Line3 route to an alternate route away from the lake country's natural resources.

What is Line 3?At a cost of $7.5 billion, Line 3 is the largest project in Enbridge’s history, and would be one of the largest crude oil pipelines in the continent, carrying up to 760,000 barrels toxic, Alberta tar sand oil PER DAY. Enbridge calls this project a “replacement” because they already have a Line 3 pipeline in their mainline corridor, which transects Northern Minnesota with 6 pipelines in it. But don’t be fooled – this is a new pipeline. The new pipe would be larger (36” instead of 34”), carry nearly twice the volume of oil, and establish an entirely new corridor through Northern Minnesota. That is NOT a replacement. This route is the same one Enbridge had earlier proposed for the "Sandpiper", a 30" pipeline that would carry 375,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota across Minnesota, through Hubbard County to Superior Wisconsin. The Sandpiper pipeline proposal was withdrawn by Enbridge in August of 2016.

What is Hubbard COLA's position on Line 3?After studying the issues relating to the Application for the Sandpiper & Line 3 Pipelines filed by Enbridge Energy Limited Partnership, doing business as North Dakota Pipeline Company LLC (“Enbridge”), Hubbard County COLA (“HC COLA”) has determined that the Sandpiper / Line 3 corridor (the “Enbridge Route”) must be relocated in order to protect and preserve the lake country’s natural resources. HC COLA fully supports the Friends of the Headwaters (“FOH”) in its efforts to relocate the Enbridge Route to an alternate route away from the lake country’s natural resources (the “Alternate Route”).

Why has Hubbard COLA taken this position?The Enbridge Route crosses our lakes as shown on this map and the state in a way that creates the potential for significant environmental effects from a leak, spill, fire or other environmental harm to numerous natural resources that are extremely vulnerable, sensitive, unique and valuable public resources, including the Mississippi and other rivers; lakes which are some of the clearest and cleanest in Minnesota; wetlands; watersheds; aquifers; groundwater; and the wild rice waters. The natural resources that are at risk of significant environmental harm are not only the ones that are crossed by the pipeline, but also those that are in close proximity to the pipeline.

Based on the unusual water issues in Enbridge's proposed route, the company's disastrous record around water resources, and the recent the PHMSA report, Friends of the Headwaters contends that Governor Dayton and the MN legislature should initiate a formal and independent review of Minnesota's pipeline approval process and all of Enbridge's pipeline infrastructure, integrity, and inspection procedures in Minnesota.

You can help by doing any of the following:

Request to be on FOH email list to keep current – use the “Contact Us” form on Friends of the Headwaters (FOH) website

Attend and participate at public hearings scheduled by the PUC

Write a letter to the Editor

Write a letter to your Senators, Representatives, Governor and discuss with political candidates

Request an FOH presentation for your organization – use the “Contact Us” form on FOH website